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BioWare will release an Extended Cut for Mass Effect 3 later this year.

As both Paul and David have noted elsewhere, EA and BioWare are offering a free DLC later this year that extends the ending of Mass Effect 3. The Extended Cut will offer new cinematic cut-scenes that will provide "more clarity for those seeking further closure to their journey" according to BioWare.

“We are all incredibly proud of Mass Effect 3 and the work done by Casey Hudson and team,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder of BioWare. “Since launch, we have had time to listen to the feedback from our most passionate fans and we are responding. With the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut we think we have struck a good balance in delivering the answers players are looking for while maintaining the team’s artistic vision for the end of this story arc in the Mass Effect universe.”

“We have reprioritized our post-launch development efforts to provide the fans who want more closure with even more context and clarity to the ending of the game," Executive Producer Casey Hudson said, "in a way that will feel more personalized for each player.”

He goes on to say that: "Though we remain committed and are proud of the artistic choices we made in the main game, we are aware that there are some fans who would like more closure to Mass Effect 3. The goal of the DLC is not to provide a new ending to the game, rather to offer fans additional context and answers to the end of Commander Shepard's story."

To be fair, you can't please everyone. Even if BioWare had crafted absolutely new endings, some fans would still be upset. Such is the nature of the proverbial beast. But for the Retake Mass Effect Movement, clarity and closure will likely not serve as appeasement. The same batch of endings, with some new details, will remain. Maybe this is the right choice, maybe it's the wrong one. I'm less concerned whether or not it's the "artistic" choice or the one that maintains some facade of "artistic integrity." The fact remains, the ending is not being "fixed" or changed; it's being extended.

Unless the clarity and closure released this summer make sense of the ending, and add true personalization to the endings for the numerous different choices and story arcs experienced by gamers, this doesn't look so much like a victory as a draw. What uneasy peace comes next, if any?

Paul Tassi thinks BioWare will get the ending right this time since they have "han exact road map of what will make fans happy."

I'm not so sure, and not just because this isn't actually a new ending fix in the first place. BioWare has known for years what makes fans happy. This has not stopped them from making drastic changes to their most beloved franchises.

I guess the simple fact of the matter is that we won't know what the new DLC will be like or what the fan reaction will be until later this year. As it stands, even if closure comes to the ending of Mass Effect 3, I'm skeptical the same will be said for the controversy itself. Daniel Nye Griffiths is probably correct that the timing here is not a coincidence, only a day after EA won the Consumerist's "Worst Company" award. But it's only a very, very small step. Time will tell if it's in the right direction.

The Extended Cut will arrive on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC sometime this summer. It will remain free for download until April 12, 2014.